Sewing machine attachment for sewing hook fastener tape on garments



Ap 1963 1.. ROSEMAN ETAL 3,085,525

SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING HOOK FASTENER TAPE 0N GARMENTS Filed Aug. 4, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 OLD INVENTORS.

LEO ROSEMAN RICHARD ROSEMAN Ticyll- HI BY ATTORNE Y Aprll 1963 L. ROSEMAN ETAL 3,085,525

SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING HOOK FASTENER TAPE ON GARMENTS Filed Aug. 4. 1960 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. LEO QOSEMAN RICHAR D ROSEMAN ATTO PNEY April 1963 1.. ROSEMAN ETAL 3,085,525

. SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING HOOK FASTENER TAPE 0N GARMENTS Filed Aug. 4, 1960 3 SheetsSheet 5 Z INVENTORS.

LEO ROSEMAN RlCH ADD ROSE MAN ATTORNEY United States Patent Gfice 3,085,525 Patented Apr. 16, 1963 3,085,525 SEWING MACHINE ATTACHlVIENT FOR SEWING HOOK FASTENER TAPE N GARMENTS Leo Roseman, 377 S. Harrison St., East Orange, N.J., and Richard J. Roseman, RD. 2, Union Township, NJ. Filed Aug. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 46,610 1 Claim. (Cl. 112-2) This invention relates in general to machines for sewing onto portions of garments or other articles, fabric tapes on which are secured at least one hook fastener element and usually a plurality of wire hook fastener elements disposed in spaced relation longitudinally of the tapes each to cooperate with a complemental wire eye fastener element secured on another portion of the garment or other article for connecting two said portions together.

The generally known manner of stitching hook fastener tape on the edge portion of a garment, such as a corset, girdle or brassiere, is objectionable in that when the portion of the garment bearing the hooks is connected to the portion of the garment bearing the eyes and tension is placed on said garment portions in substantially their own planes tending to pull them apart, the edge of the garment portion carrying the hook fastener elements becomes rippled and pulled away from the edge of the other portion of the garment so as to form gaps between the two edges, that is, the area of the edge of the garment portion in close proximity to the hook fastener elements is pulled upwardly and away from the edge of the other garment portion so that a series of gaps or openings are formed between the two edges in spaced relation longitudinally of said edges. The connected edge portions of the garment are not only unsightly but the rippled edge carrying the hook fastener elements is uncomfortable to the wearer and, when appearing in an undergarment beneath a thin outer garment, causes unattractive projections or ripples in the outer garment.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved attachment for a sewing machine with which the hook fastener tape may be sewed onto the edge portion of a garment or other article in a manner to prevent such rippling and gaping of the garment edge portion as hereinbefore described.

According to known practice, in the stitching of the hook fastener tape to, for example, a garment edge portion, the tape is fed through a throat plate of a sewing machine with the edge portion of the garment in superposed relation to the tape, and the superposed tape and edge portion of the garment pass through sewing mechanism including a work feed mechanism and two reciprocating needles that form longitudinal lines of stitches along the longitudinal edges of the tape at opposite sides of the row of hook fastener elements, and the assembled garment portion and fastener tape have the objectionable rippling and gaping characteristics above described. Another object of the invention is to provide novel and improved means for guiding and holding the fastener tape and the garment edge portion in such relation to each other during the stitching operation that the tape and garment edge portions shall be stitched together in such a way as to prevent or eliminate gaping or rippling of the garment edge portion when the hook fastener tape is connected to a complemental eye fastener tape on another edge portion of the garment and tension is applied to the garment edge portions in substantially their own planes tending to separate them.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a schematic perspective view of an at tachment embodying the invention applied to a known type of sewing machine;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the attachment and the adjacent portions of the bed of the machine;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an elevation taken approximately from the plane of the line 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, with portions omitted, and with the machine presser foot in elevated position and before the insertion of the fastener tape and the garment edge portion;

FIGURE 7 is a further enlarged view similar to FIG- URE 6 but showing the presser foot in Work pressing position and with work passing through the attachment;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 8--8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of tWo garment edge portions connected together by hook and eye tapes the hook tape of which has been sewed on the garment in accordance with the invention and illustrating the two garment edge portions under tension in their own planes tending to pull them. apart;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view on the plane of the line 10-40 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a view similar to FIGURE 10 showing two garment edge portions connected together by hook tapes and eye tapes wherein the hook tape is sewed to the garment edge portion according to the old practice and illustrating the garment edge portions without tension;

FIGURE 12 is a similar view showing two garment edge portions connected by hook and eye fastener tapes wherein the hook tape has been stitched to the garment edge portion in accordance with the old practice, and illustrating the rippling and gaping hereinbefore described; and

FIGURE 13 is a vertical sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 1313 of FIGURE 12 showing the edge portions of FIGURE 11 under tension in their own planes tending to separate them.

For the purpose of explaining the invention, We shall first describe the problem incident to the old practice. The hook fastener tape contemplated by the invention includes an elongated strip of fabric generally designated A having secured on one side thereof at least one hook fastener element B and usually a plurality thereof in spaced relation to each other longitudinally of the strip by longitudinal lines of stitches C with the bill of the hook exposed and projecting from one side of the strip as shown in FIGURE 11.

According to known practice, during the stitching operation the hook fastener tape A is fed through a channel in a throat plate of a sewing machine with the garment portion D in superposed relation tothe tape, and

these superposed garment portion and tape are fed longitudinally beneath two parallel simultaneously reciprocating needles 1 each of which is disposed adjacent one longitudinal edge of the tape and one of which is disposed adjacent the free edge of the garment portion; and as the garment portion and tape pass beneath the needles there is a tendency for the central longitudinal portion of the fastener tape carrying the hook fastener elements to move away from and into spaced relation to the garment edge portion so that the zone of the garment edge portion between the parallel lines of stitches E formed by the needles is shorter than the underlying portion of the tape, as shown in FIGURE 11. Therefore, when the hook fastener elements B are connected to their complemental eye fasteners F on the eye tape of another garment portion H and tension is applied to the garment portion in their planes tending to separate them as indicated by the arrows in FIGURES 12 and 13, the tension on the garment portion is first applied to the right-hand line of stitches E in FIGURE 13 and the garment edge portion is pulled back or lifted upwardly as indicated at I in FIGURES 12 and 13 until the full tension is transmitted through the left-hand line of stitches E in FIGURE 11 through the tape and stitches C to the engaging point of the hook fastener element B and eye fastener element F as shown in FIGURE 13. This lifting of the garment edge portion and the gaps formed thereby as indicated at I are objectionable and the connected edge portions of the garment are unsightly.

We have discovered that this objection can be overcome 'by performing the stitching operation in such a manner and with such means as will insure that the garment edge portion between the parallel lines of stitches shall be at least equal to and preferably longer than the portion of the hook fastener tape between said lines of stitches; and the invention is directed to means for sewing a hook fastener tape onto the garment portion in this manner.

This means is shown as including a throat plate 2 separably mounted in the bed plate 3 of a known type of sewing machine in the usual manner, the throat plate having slots 2:: therein as usual through which project portions 5a of a work feed dog 5 that is simultaneously actuated vertically and horizontally and cooperates with a presser foot 6 which holds the work in engagement With the feed dog, so that the work is fed step-by-step beneath the needles 1 which are mounted on the usual reciprocating needle bar 4 driven by known mechanism that forms no part of the present invention. Here the needle bar is shown as oscillatable in a plane parallel with the direction of movement of the work, and the needles assist the feed dog in feeding the work, but other types of machines may be utilized. For purposes of illustration, the usual cam 7 mounted on a shaft 8 in the machine bed is shown as cooperating with a cam follower 9 connected to the feed dog for vertically moving the dog, and the dog is shown as pivotally connected at 10 to a crank arm 11 which is oscillated by the usual shaft 12 journaled on the frame of the machine beneath the bed plate and driven from the main driving shaft of the machine in known manner. The presser foot 6 is mounted on a rod 13 in the horizontal arm 14 of the machine frame in the usual manner to move the presser foot toward and from the work.

The throat plate 2 has a guide channel 15 extending therethrough from one edge of the plate to a point beyond the feed dog portions 5a and through which the fastener tape A is fed. Projecting from one side wall to the channel 15 of the throat plate beneath the needles is a hook fastener guide blade 16. The blade extends transversely across the channel from said wall with its free edge spaced from the opposite wall of the channel a distance to permit free passage of the bight of the hook bill between said edge and said side wall of the channel as indicated at 17. The hook tape is fed through the channel with the bills of the hook fastener elements embracing or straddling the blade 16 as best shown in FIGURE 8 so that the blade forms an abutment for the hook to prevent the hook and the fabric strip to which the fastener is connected from sagging or dropping downwardly and from lateral movement so as to ensure a straight line of stitching. It will be noted in the present case that the base of the hook is interposed between two plies of fabric and that the outer ply A of fabric slides along the blade 16 between the base of the hook and the blade as best shown in FIGURES 7 and 8.

The fastener tape is fed through the channel 15 from the open end of the channel which is best shown in FIGURE 1 with the edge portion D of the garment in superposed relation thereto, and means is provided for insuring a fullness or slackness in the garment portion between the lines of stitches E as best shown in FIGURE 10. For producing such fullness, We have shown a tongue 18 mounted on the top of the throat plate above the channel 15 and having a portion 18' extending parallel to the channel from a point ahead of the feed dog and presser foot to a point beneath the presser foot as best shown in FIGURES 6 and 7; and the garment portion D is fed on top of or over this tongue while the fastener' tape is fed beneath the tongue as the Work moves through the machine as best shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. The portion 18' of the tongue holds a zone of the garment portion in arched or spaced relation to the fastener tape A as the garment portion and tape pass beneath the needles during the formation of the lines of stitches E so as to provide a slackness or fullness 19 in the garment portion between the lines of stitches as shown in FIGURE 8. In order to permit proper engagement of the presser foot with the Work for coaction with the feed dog in feeding the work, it is necessary to provide a clearance 29 in the presser foot for the tongue 18 and the garment portion above it as shown in FIGURE 8, said clearance simply constituting a groove extending longitudinally of the lower side of the presser foot parallel with the direction of feeding movement of the tape and garment portion.

With this construction, it will be readily understood that when the assembled and stitched together hook fastener tape A and the edge portion D of the garment are connected to a complemental garment portion H and tension is applied to the two garment portions in their general planes as indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 10, the fastener strip or tape A will be pulled taut between the innermost line of stitches E andthe engaging point X of the hook fastener elements and eye fastener elements without affecting the outer edges of the garment portion and the hook fastener tape, due to the slack or fullness 19 in the garment portion, all as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10. No tension is applied to the corresponding edges of the garment portion and the fastener tape at Y so that there is no tendency for said edges to ripple or to be pulled away from the edge of the garment portion H. Thus the connected garment portions appear substantially as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10 with the edges of the two garment portions disposed smoothly in substantially abutting contact and in a common plane with no gaps between them such as appear at I in the old structure illustrated in FIGURES 12 and 13.

If desired the tongue 18 may be utilized without the blade 16, simply to provide a fullness or slack between the lines of stitches in the garment portion.

The invention also contemplates the formation of the two lines of stitches E at different times and on different single needle machines, the right-hand line of stitches B being first formed on one machine with one needle, and the second or left-hand line of stitches B being formed thereafter by another stitching operation with a single needle.

It will also be understood by those skilled in the art that it is possible to reverse the positions of the fastener tape and garment edge portions so that the tape is uppermost during the stitching operation, and thus the invention contemplates the mounting of the support guide or blade 16 in a channel in the underside of the presser foot and the mounting of the tongue 18, 18' on the throat plate so that the garment edge portion may be fed under the tongue instead of over the tongue as shown in the drawings. With the parts so arranged, the guide support will hold and guide the tape in the same manner in which the support guide holds and guides the tape hereinbefore described, while the tongue provides the fullness or slackness in the garment edge portion between the lines of stitches.

It will also be understood that the height of the portion 5 18' of the tongue and the depth of the channel 15 in the throat plate may be varied to produce the desired effect and to accommodate fabrics of difierent material.

Various uses of the invention and other modifications in the detailed construction of the attachment will occur to those skilled in the art as within the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

In a machine for sewing on a garment a flexible needlepenetrable strip carrying at least one fastener element whose bill projects from and is in spaced relation to one side of said strip, which comprises a frame having a work-supporting bed provided with a guide channel for said fastener element, stitch-forming mechanism on said frame including parallel reciprocating needles supported above said bed, each at one side of said channel, and a work-feeding mechanism for feeding through the stitchforming mechanism and along said work-supporting bed beneath said needles said flexible strip and a portion of a garment in superposed relation to each other, a tongue mounted at one end on said work-supporting bed and extending between said needles parallel to said worksupporting bed above, longitudinally of and in alignment with said channel providing for feeding of said strip and said garment beneath and above said tongue, respectively, to hold said garment and said strip in spaced relation between the needles and thereby provide slackness or fullness in the portion of the garment between the lines of stitches formed by the needles, said work-feed mechanism including a presser foot having a work-engaging surface for exerting yielding pressure on the garment and the longitudinal edges of said strip adjacent the points of penetration of the garment and the strip by the needles and provided with a groove in its work-engaging surface above and parallel to said channel serving as clearance for said fullness in the garment whereby said fullness in the garment is formed while said strip is held substantially taut between said needles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,093,540 Corson Apr. 14, 1914 1,275,694 Hughes Aug. 13, 1918 1,327,191 Blasi Jan. 6, 1920 1,354,795 Barron Oct. 5, 1920 1,422,176 Chalman July 11, 1922 2,542,212 Schaad Feb. 20, 1951 2,695,578 Roseman Nov. 30, 1954 2,755,753 Kratz July 24, 1956 2,812,733 Du Val Nov. 12, 1957 2,960,945 Simpson Nov. 22, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 629,285 Germany Apr. 27, 1936 166,326 Australia Dec. 14, 1955 

